Broadway Memories: BeBe Neuwirth in Chicago: All That Jazz

Steve and I have been lucky enough to have had  many memorable nights in the theatre.  I love it when I find a spot on YouTube that makes it possible to revisit some of them.  It’s not the magic of live theatre, but it’s a good reminder of some special nights.

One of our highlights occurred when we saw the revival of “Chicago” on Broadway the first year it opened.  BeBe Neuwirth had just won the Tony, but was scheduled to be out of the show the week we saw it.  Our flight had been delayed and we barely made it to the theatre before curtain.  I think we practically dove into our seats as the overture started and the show began.  Then the vamp began in “All That Jazz” and who else but Bebe Neuwirth came up through the floor of the Shubert Theatre.  We practically screamed and clutched and the place went wild.

I’ve seen “Chicago” on Broadway three times with different casts.  Let me tell you, no one does “All That Jazz” like Bebe.  The dancing is a master class in Bob Fosse moves as recreated by Ann Reinking.  It was just an amazing 10 minutes to see Bebe and her fellow cast members do this on Broadway and then sustain this level of excellence for the rest of the show.